Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-24
KING
Solomon 5 Mines.
BY 81. Rider HAGGARD.
CHAPTER V.

under large tree. Which made q cOnSpicu
Gus mark for miles. 1t was a wonderfully
fine lot of ivory. L never saw better, aver.
ging as it did between forty and fifty
pounds tusk. The tusks of the great bull
that killed poor Khiva scaled one hundred
and seventy pounds the pair, as nearly as we
could judge
AS for Khiva himself, we buried what re-
NAMED OF him in an ant-bear hole, together
with ali assegai to protect himself with on
his journey to better world On the third
day we started on, hoping that we might one
day return to dig up our buried ivory, and in
due course, after a long and wearisome
tramp, and many adventures which | have
not space to detail, reached Sitanda's Kraal
near the Lukanga River, the real starting
point of our expedition. Very well do 1 re-
collect our arrival at that place. To the right
was scattered native settlement with a few
stone cattle kraals and some cultivated lands
down by the water. where these savages
grew their scanty supply of grain, and be,
yond it great tracts Of waving ''veldt' cover.
ed with tall grass, over which herds Of the
smaller game were wandering.
To the left was the vast desert. This spot
appeared to be the outpost of the fertile
country, and it would be difficult to say to
what natural causes such an abrupt change
IN the character Of the soil was due. But SC
lt was. just below our encampment flowed
little stream, on the further side of which
was stony slope, the same down which
nad twenty years before seen poor Slvestre
creeping back after his attempt to reach So
lemons Mines, and beyond that slope began
the waterleSs desert covered with a species
OF karoo shrub. 1t was evening when we
pitched our camp, and the great fiery ball of
the sun was sinking into the desert sending
glorious rays of many-colored light flying all
over the vast expanse. Leaving Good to
superintend the arrangement Of our little
camp, took Sir Henry with me, and we
walked to tho top of the slope opposite and
gazed out across the desert. The air was very
clear, and far, far away / could distinguish
the faint blue outlines, here and there capped
with white, of the great SULLIVAN Berg.
''Ihere," [ said there is the wall of Solo.
mons Mines, but God knows if we shall ever
climb it,"
My brother should be there, and if he is
shall reach him somehow" said Sir Henry,
In that tone of quiet confidence which
marked the man.
Il hope So" l answered, and turned to go
back to the camp, when | saw that we were
not alone. Behind us, also gazing earnestly
Zulu Umbopa.
The Zulu spoke when he saw that had
observed him, but addressed himself to Sir
Henry, to whom he had attached himself.
sit is to that land that you would journey,
Incubu% Elephant-Sir Henry's Zulu
nance, he said, pointing toward the noun
tains with his broad assegai.
l asked him sharply what he meant by adj
dressing his master in that familiar way. 1t
is very we'll for natives to have name for
one among themselves but it is not decent
that they should call one by their heathen-
ish appellationS to ones face. The man
laughed a quiet little laugh which riled me-
How do you know that | am not the
equal of the InkOSi | Seryep' he said. HE
is of aaEOyal house, no doubt; one can see it
in his Size and in his eye; so perhaps am l.
At least | am as great a man. Be my mouth,
oh, Macumazahn, and say my words to the
InkOoS Incubu, my master, for / would
speak to him and to YOU"
| was angry with the man, for am not
accustomed to be talked to in that way by
KafirS, but somehow he impressed me, and
besides | was curious to know what he had
to say, so translated, expressing my opin-
ion at the same time that he was an impu-
dent fellow, and that his swagger was out
rageOus
Yes, Umbopa," answered Sir Henry,
81 would journey there"
The desert is wide and there is no water
the mountains are high and covered with
snow, and man cannot say what is beyond
them behind the place where the sun sets;
how shall you come thither, Incubu, and
wherefore do you gO?"
| translated again.
Tell him." answered Sir Henry, shat |
go because l believe that a man of my blood,
my brother, has gone there before me, and L
go to seek him."
THAT is SO, Incubu; a man L met on the
road told me that white man went out into
the desert two years ago toward those noun
tains with enc servant, a hunter. They
never came back"
"How do you know it was my brother?"
asked Sir Henry.
Nay, know not. But the man, when [
asked what the white man was like, said
that he had your eyes and black beard. He
SAID, too, that the name OF the hunter with
, him was Jim, that he was a Bechuana hunt
er and wore clothes"
There is no doubt about it." said l, 81
knew Jim we'll"
Sir Henry nodded ''I was sure of it." he
ot'iu' IL OcUtS6 SGl Ills ullIlu upOl 81 LulliS,
he generally did it. 1t was always SO from
his boyhood. If he meant to cross the Suli-
man Berg he has crossed it, unless some ac-
cident has oyertaken him, and we must look
for HIM on the other side.''
Umbopa understood English, though he
rarely spoke it.
1T is a far journey, Incubu," he put in,
and | translated his remark.
Yes" answered SIR Henry, sit is far.
But there is no journey upon this earth that
4 man may not make If he sets his heart to
it. There is nothing, Umbopa, that he can
not do there are no mountains he may not
climb, there are no deserts he cannot cross,
save mountain and a desert of which you
are spared the knowledge. if love leads him
and he holds his life in his hand, counting 1t
as nothing, ready to keep or to lose it az
Providence may order"
| translated.
'Great words, my father" answered the
Zulu Il always called him Zulu, though
he was not really one), great swelling
words tit to fill the mouth of man. You
are right my father Incubu. Listen! what